Clarke Central High School Director of Bands and fine arts department co-chair Dr. Robert Lawrence directs his fifth-period band on April 16. At the end of this school year, Lawrence will be leaving after 10 years of teaching at CCHS. “A lot of the kids really look at him as a suitable father figure and mentor beyond a band director, so you can imagine seniors and juniors that have had him for three or four years are definitely in a little bit of a shock,” CCHS assistant band director and fine arts department teacher Christopher Simpson said. Photo by Colin Frick
Clarke Central High School Director of Bands and fine arts department co-chair Dr. Robert Lawrence has announced that he will be leaving CCHS after 10 years to work as the Director of Bands at Fitzgerald High School.
After 10 years of working at Clarke Central High School, CCHS Director of Bands and fine arts department co-chair Dr. Robert Lawrence will begin the 2019-20 school year as the Director of Bands at Fitzgerald High School in Ben Hill County.
“It’s hard to leave Clarke Central, and today I had to stand in front of (my band) kids, and I tried to (tell them about my departure) with class,” Lawrence said. “It’s wonderful that people think you’re going to be there forever, and that’s good, and your name and face is on the program, but it’s so hard to leave. I can’t imagine right now getting up and going to work and not putting on Gladiator colors.”
Lawrence’s wife and child live four hours away in South Georgia. The move brings him closer to his family in Douglas, GA.
“My family doesn’t live with me. I have a four-year-old that’s growing up without her daddy, so that’s why it’s so hard (to stay here at Clarke Central). Her name is Rylee. We call her my twin because she looks exactly like her daddy. When she got old enough to tell me (that she missed me), I could not get it out of my brain,” Lawrence said.
CCHS assistant band director and fine arts department teacher Christopher Simpson will be the new Director of Bands, taking Lawrence’s place.
“I think one of the greatest things that (Lawrence) did was hiring an assistant. It gave me time to learn the kids, learn the Clarke Central way and get to know the administrators,” Simpson said. “I think he did it in a very strategic way that would allow me or whomever to step in and do whatever needs to be done, because I already have a relationship with the kids, and I’m starting to build with the faculty and staff here. I think our transition should be pretty seamless.”
For students like junior Kevin Gresham, Lawrence’s departure is bittersweet.
“I’m a little down, but at the same time, he gotta do what he gotta do. He does have a family and family does come first,” Gresham said. “I’m a little sad because (Lawrence and I) have come a long way. Just to see him it go, it hurts.”
Senior A’kyia Martin, a flute player for the CCHS band, is also saddened by the news of Lawrence leaving.
“I was kind of taken back by (the news) because I knew it was something serious, but I didn’t think he would actually be leaving. It didn’t really hit me until I saw him (start) crying and then I started crying,” Martin said. “I always know that if something was to happen, he can always be that person that I can come and talk to. He will always listen to me, be completely honest with me, let me know what’s wrong, what’s right. That’s what I’m honestly going to miss once I graduate.”
Although Lawrence’s departure will impact the band program, Simpson is prepared to expand on what Lawrence has started.
“We’ll move forward and the kids will become more receptive to his decision to leave. It’s going to take a little bit of time to get used to, but I think they’ll be fine as we move towards next year,” Simpson said.
More from Tecoya Richardson and Elena Webber
